Monday, April 16, 2007

Fig mini-basket (tartlet)

The Chinese name of fig (back translation: fruit from no flower) intrigued me. If it's the case, no flower, no pollination, how to produce fruit and seed? So I looked up on Internet. '... A fig "fruit" is derived from a specially adapted type of inflorescence (structural arrangement of flowers). What is commonly called the "fruit" of a fig is actually a specialized structure- or accessory fruit- called a syconium: an involute (nearly closed) receptacle with many small flowers arranged on the inner surface. Thus the actual flowers of the fig are unseen unless the fig is cut open. The syconium often has a bulbous shape with a small opening (the ostiole) at the distal end that allows access by pollinators. The flowers are pollinated by very small wasps that crawl through the opening in search of a suitable place to reproduce (lay eggs).... Technically, a fig fruit would be one of many mature, seed-bearing flowers found inside one fig.' (source from Wikipedia). So here we see the flower power -- fig's flowers provide a safe haven and nourishment for the next generation of wasps, in return the wasps provide pollinator service so fig trees can reproduce by seed.

Fig in dessert is always my favorite, I particularly like Sicilian filled-cookies, cucidati. From there I got my idea for these fig tartlets. This is my contribution to Sugar High Friday #30, this month of SHF is hosted by our gorgeous Monisha over Coconut Chutney.

Lightly grease mini-tart pan. Roll dough to 1/8"-thick. Use a 2.5"-dia cookie-cutter to cut out 10 circles, arrange them into the tart pan. Wrap them up and the left-over dough chill in the fridge.

If the figs are too dried, bring the orange juice (in a small pot) to boil, simmer the figs (cover) for 15 minutes or so, turn the heat off, let it soak (lid still on) until they look soften enough for you. Drain. Preheat oven 375F.

Finely chopped the figs, combine with raisins, candied orange, almond flakes and chocolate chips. Spoon the filling into the tart shells. Cut more fine strips from the left-over dough and use them to decorate the tarts.

My baskets' handle and base have two different brown tones. The reason is, my tart shells were sitting on dark-coated pan which absorbs heat faster in hot oven, so the tarts' bottom browns up easier. If you don't want it happen, but also don't have a light-colored pan, you can wrap the pan's bottom with a piece of foil as its silvery color will reflect some heat out.

Your tarts are always beautiful! The information about fig is interesting. I just read something about how abundant figs are in Italy, and of course some brief descriptions of things you can do with them. Your tarts are one of the excellent ways! :D

Lis, I haven't seen orange paste... please let me know when you use it, as I want to see what it looks/tastes like. Last week I saw Sicilican lemon sauce, should have grabbed it that time...

Asha, I used to snack on dried fig before I knew anything about baking. I think I seen somewhere talking about fig considered as sacred, it should be a very special kind?

Shn, it will be my honor to have an artistic gal be my next door too!

Brilynn, thanks sweetie!

Reena, I love figs, fresh or dried, in salad or in baked goods!

Sushma, I was very amased after I looked up the fact too! Thanks for your compliment *hug*

Anh, right, we should see tons of fresh fig recipes appear in Italian magazines a few months later. The fresh figs are over-priced in my area, and I don't fancy them too much (the sour-grape note in me...:P) Thanks for your kind words sweetie!

Nabeela, me niether! Quite amasing eh.

Ellie, *ouch ... yuck... puke... 911!!! * Isn't it terrible?! Oh no, I guess the ones ready to harvest must be before the stage of pollination.

Thanks for the informations on my favorite fruit. My grand mother used to have a fig tree in her back yard. What can I say Gattina, I just love your tartelettes. You always seem to know how to dress them.

I'm with you--I love figs in dessert, and I love them in savory dishes as well. I was expecting the recipe to be more difficult, but it seems do-able. (Those sound like famous last words from this non-baker.) :) Yours are gorgeous, and I'm sure they were scrumptious.

Oh my gosh!!! Is that the cutest thing ever? I can't believe how you always come up with these fabulous ideas. I think these would be so wonderful for a tea party. But, they are even more wonderful for my stomach! Yes, I'll put quite a few there. :)

It is so interesting to read about the different fruits and their unique ways of proliferating, like pomegranates and pineapples. You can just plant the top of a pineapple in the ground without seed! And of course, you eat the pomegranate seeds. I had no idea about figs! Thanks for the great lesson and recipe!